Control systems for spinning and roving frames



Feb. 12, 1957 H. c. BECHTLER 2,780,908

CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR SPINNING AND ROVING FRAMES Filed April 10, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

a kwa Feb. 12, 1957 2,780,908,

CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR SPINNING AND ROYING FRAMES Filed April'lO. 1952 H. C(BECHTLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

INVENTOR. 4L c.-M'

CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR SPINNING AND ROVILIG FRAMES Application April 10, 1952, Serial No. 281,605

10 Claims. (Cl. 5780) This invention relates to a control device on a suctional broken-thread exhauster for spinning machines, and more particularly to means for stopping the drive of the spinning frame in the event of breakage of the spinning material, a sliver or a thread. Devices have been proposed in which the broken-off spinning material is sucked into a pneumatic exhauster duct and is deposited on a perforated flap, incorporated in the said pneumatic exhauster duct, which slightly throttles the current of air, with the result that the thread deposited in front of the perforations of the flap causes a banking-up of air which in turn results in a swivelling movement of the flap, the movement of the flap serving to control means which stop the spinning frame. These devices function too slowly and too uncertainly, as it is not until a certain quantity of spinning material has accumulated on the flap that sufficient pressure is built up to actuate the flap. Moreover, the inevitable soiling of the perforated flaps is capable of causing faulty operation. In the present invention the interruption of the drive of the spinning frame, and also, if desired, of the current of air for the suctional removal of the thread, is effected by an arrangement whereby the suctional broken-thread exhauster is provided, at at least one point past which broken-off fragments of the spinning material are conducted by the current of air, with at least one radiant beam exercising supervision of that point and influencing operating members which control at least the drive of the machine.

In speed frames (flyer frames), faults also occur through the fact that the stream of air, if started up simultaneously with the spinning frame, acts too powerfully on the as yet untautened roving or sliver and sucks it away. The means for controlling the current of air, actuating means for the fan or the airflaps, may therefore likewise be provided with operating members influenced by a radiant beam, which members weaken the current of air or start it up subsequently to the starting of the spinning frame. A radiant beam may preferably be provided by a luminous source, the fluctuations in intensity of the light caused by the fragments of material flying past, or accumulating, influencing a photoelectric cell. It is also possible, however, to employ other similar devices operating on the principle of utilizing the influence of a beam of rays.

The chief object of the invention is to provide a control device for a spinning frame that will promptly stop the frame upon the breakage of a thread or the like before the broken end tangles with adjacent threads.

An object of the invention is to provide a control device that will retard the starting of the exhauster for a predetermined period after the starting of the spinning frame upon repair of the broken thread. Other objects of my invention will be readily perceived from the following description.

In the attached drawing, typical arrangements of the photoelectric cell, embodiments of the suctional exhausting duct, and control members are schematically illusnited States Patent 2,780,908 Patented Feb. 12, 1957 trated which serve to control the spinning frame and the air current.

The attached drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, in which Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a typical embodiment of the control device;

Figure 2 is a device for controlling the air current by means of flaps;

Figure 3 is a cross-section taken along the line I-I in Figure l;

Figure 4 is an alternative embodiment of the threadexhausting duct;

Figure 5 is a cross-section through a flyer frame showing parts of a broken-thread exhauster cooperating therewith;

Figure 6 is a plan view of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a connection diagram for the suctional broken-thread exhauster of Figures 5 and 6.

The exhauster duct which serves suctionally to remove the broken spinning material, broken threads or slivers, is provided with as many suction nozzles as the present spinning frame has spindles. It must therefore have a substantial cross-sectional area at the point at which it opens into the filter box or directly into the exhauster or a collecting duct, so that it is diflicult to influence a beam of rays by the fragments of spinning material hurtling past in such a way that the spinning frame, and possibly the air current as well, can be controlled by suitable actuating means. In the embodiments disclosed herein, the radiant beam is in the form of a beam of light, which acts on a photoelectric cell.

In order to increase the effectiveness of the arrangement, it is possible to arrange for several radiant beams to traverse the duct and for a plurality of photoelectric cells to intercept the luminous rays affected by the spinning material. Preferably, however, the fragments of spinning material are, in the present embodiment, so guided by the current of air that they are compelled to fly past, or accumulate at, certain points at which the radiant beam focuses on the photoelectric cell. These points, shown in Figures 1, 3 and 4, are described hereinafter, and are so disposed as not to decrease the cross-sectional area of air flow and therefore not to reduce the air velocity in the nozzles.

In the device shown in Figure 1, the spinning frame is driven by the motor 2 through shaft 1. The rollers 3, which are mounted on the shaft 4, convey the thread 5 or fragments thereof, hereinafter called thread, to the flyer 6. An air or exhauster duct 7, extending throughout the length of the spinning frame, is provided with suction nozzles 8 which open behind the stretched threads 5 between the flyer 6 and the roller 3. The exhauster duct 7 is provided with an air-deflecting bend it) which opens into a filter box 12. A filter partition 13 separates filter box 12 from the exhauster 14, which is actuated by the motor 15. The exhauster 14 exhausts the air from the filter box. In the event of an end breakage, the broken thread 5a conveyed by the rollers 3 is sucked through the suction nozzle 8 into the duct 7 and conveyed by the air-deflecting bend it) into the filter box 12.

The bend 10 is of infundibular cross-section, as shown in Figure 3 and forms the thread guide. Disposed in the plane of this cross-section are a luminous source 17 with aperture-limiting members 18 and a photoelectric cell 19 in front of which a glass plate 20 is arranged, so that a luminous ray or beam 22 is projected across the duct on to the photoelectric cell 19. The broken thread 5a is hurled by centrifugal force, owing to the deflection of the air current, into the trough-shaped bottom of the funnel 23 which serves as a thread guide and carried along in said trough-shaped bottom, so that for a brief moment it interrupts or darkens the luminous ray 22, whereupon the photoelectric cell. 19 reacts. to stop. the motor. 2, as hereinafter described.

From the electric mains leads 26 are taken to the contactor' 27, said' leads being manually disconnectable by means of a switch S. The contactor 27 is connected by the leads 28 to the photoelectric cell 19; which, when the luminous ray affects the photoelectric cell by fluctuations. in the intensity of the light, switches the contactor out of circuit by means of suitable switches not shown inidetail; From the contactor 27 leads 29 are taken to the motor 2 and leads 30 to the motor 15 of the exhauster 14. In spinning frames on which strong threads are spun it is not necessary to stop the current of air while the spinning frame is stopped to: enablethe breakage to be repaired, and the motor 15 is therefore not controlled by' the. contactor 27. In. speed= frames (flyer frames), however, it is necessary: for-the motor: 15 to be so controlled, as otherwise the roving. or: sliver will, on starting, be-torn olf by the current ofair. In' order-to avoid this occurrence with certainty, themotor 15- can be switched on after an adjustable interval, e. g., a few seconds, for which purpose a. time-lag relay- 32 is provided in the circuit.

If the exhauster duct 7 is not provided with its own exhauster motor 15, but is.- connected to arnain collect-- ing duct, the air current in duct 7' ispreferably interrupted by a flap valve, asshownin Figure 2. Mounted on the duct 7 is a pipe end 35 in: which is disposed a flap valve 36 positively interconnected through levers 38 and 39 and connecting rod 40'with a flap valve 37 in the duct 7. The lever 38 is also connected by a connecting rod 42 to a lever 43 swivelling on a. pivot 43a. The lever 43 is pulled upwards by thespring 44 and the'flap valves 36 and 37 are so disposed that when the spinning frame is at a standstill the flap valve. 36 is open and the flap valve 37 closed, so that the air current flows through the pipe end 35 into the duct 7, while-.the. nozzles-8 are without air current. The electromagnet- 45, whose winding is connected to the lead. 30,. counteractsthe spring 44. Ifnow the motor 2, which drives the spinning frame, is energized on, the electromagnet 45 is switched through the time-lag relay 32, after a certaininterval, and pulls the lever 43 downwards, with the result that the' flap valve 37 is opened and the flap valve 36closed, so that the suction nozzles 8 resume their functions only when the spinning operation is already proceeding.

If the collecting ducts of' several machines, for instance, of all the machines in a shed, are led to a central point, theclosingof'oneduct has little material-effct on the entire flow of air, for which reason' a closing flap. 37a can be providediinzthe-duct 7, andthepipe end 35, with its flap valve 36, can be eliminated;

Figure. 4 shows an alternative embodiment. The bend 10d has the same cross-section along the. line of section IIIIII of Figure 4 as in Figure 1, with the difference,

however, that the funnel 23 opens into a dead-ended pipe 50. The said dead-ended pipe is closed by a fiap valve 52 when the spinning frame'is running and is open when the spinning frame is stopped. The fia'p valve 52, which swivels on pivot 53, is closed, for example, by the electromagnet 54. The winding of the electromagnet is derived from the contactor 27 and is without current when the motor 2 is without current. The flap valve 52 either does not close completely or has small perforations, so that an air current is provided which draws into the dead-ended pipe. 50 the thread arriving from the duct 7. The bottom of the dead-ended pipe 50, which bottom is preferably wedge-shaped in the downwardv direction, is traversed by a luminous ray orv beam 22a generated by the luminous source 17a and intercepted by the photoelectric cell 19a. As soon: as a thread arrives in front of the flapv valve 52,.this luminous ray is affected, with the result that the photoelectric cell 19a is operated and the spinning frame is, as described,,

valve. 52. isalso opened. by the action of the spring 55, so that a powerful stream of air flows through the deadended pipe 50 and blows the thread lying on the flap valve towards the strainer 56. The air is suctionally exhausted from the box 58 through the duct 57.

Figure 5 shows a cross-section through a flyer frame with a broken-thread exhauster cooperating. therewith. The numeral'1'05 designates the sliver can from which the sliver 106 is fed in the known manner via the roller 107 to the preliminary drafting. arrangement 108,.which is constitutedby'the drawing rollers 19and' 1-10'. The thread 111 emerging from the drafting arrangement'103 passes via the fiyer 112 to: the bobbin-113. Between the drafting arrangement 108 and the flyer 112 are disposed the nozzle tubes or suctionpipes 119, which are secured to the exhausting pipe or duct 114. The said nozzle tubes 119 are nested at 11% and can be clamped together, so that. the clearance. between the nozzle opening 120 and' the. thread 111.can be. adjusted. Connected to the duct 114, either directly. or through suction heads, are as many. suction pipes 119 as the machine has spindies. Behind the last suction nozzle in the direction of the draught, Figure 6, a photoelectric cell 122 and a luminous source 123 are disposed below the centreline ofthe duct, the light beam 121 from said luminous source traversing the duct 114;

The broken-off thread end, or a part thereof, is drawn into the pipe ll and'travels past the light beam 121. As a result there occurs a fluctuation in the intensity of the light beam. This fluctuation is intercepted by the photoelectric cell and converted into a current impulse which can be employed, with the aid of actuating means, for the purpose of stopping the flow of current to the drive motor of the spinning frame and of stopping the motor 117?: of the exhauster 117, so that the motors stop almost instantly. When the supervising staff has repaired the broken thread,. the spinning frame is restarted. The suctional currentof air, however, must not come into full play until the spinning frame has started up again and the thread 111.is once more taut. This usually requires a fraction of. a minute, and delayed restarting of the stream of air is effected by means of an adjustable time-lag relay included in the circuit of the exhauster motor.

The switch 125 for the motor 126 of the flyer frame is connected to the source of current 124. The leads 127*connectthe switch box 128 to the switch 125. Disposedin the switch box 128 is a switch 129 and a timelag relay 130; The exhauster motor 131 is controlled by, the time-lag relay. A time-lag relay the time-lag of which is adjustable is preferably employed, so that the said time-lag, which is of the order of a fraction of a minute, can be set to suit the material being spun. The" leads 132' leads to the drum controller 133, which is switched off by the photoelectric cell 122 under the influence of the luminous source 123. The leads 134 connect the drum controller 133 via the resetting relay 135 to the'switch 125. The signal lamp 136 is so wired that it burns so long as the drum controller is in the operative position, i. e., so long as the spinning frame is running.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that my invention will not be limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied'within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A- control device for a spinning machine including a duct, 'means for producingthe flow of an air current in said duct, said duct having at least one aperture, said ducthaving a bend therein of infundibular cross section and" having a trough disposed on the outer edge of said bend to form a thread-guide in which the broken thread travels due to the deflection of the air current and the centrifugal motion of the broken thread, a detecting device disposed in the duct adjacent the thread-guide, and

means responsive to the action of said detecting device to control the spinning machine upon the passage of a broken thread through the thread-guide.

2. A control device according to claim 1 in which said detecting device includes a photoelectric cell disposed on one side of the duct, a luminous source disposed on the other side of the duct, said trough having an aperture therein, said luminous source providing a beam of light that traverses the duct and focuses on the photoelectric cell through the aperture in the trough.

3. A control device according to claim 1. includin" a dead-ended pipe disposed in the duct at said bend and tangential to said trough, said dead-ended pipe providing a chamber into which said broken thread is sucked by said flow of an air current.

4. A control device according to claim 3 including a flap valve disposed below the dead-ended pipe in the duct, said valve being adapted to close the pipe to retain the broken thread in the chamber but to permit passage of air therethrough.

5. A control device according to claim 4 in which said detecting device includes a photoelectric cell and a luminous source disposed adjacent the dead-ended pipe above said flap valve, said luminous source providing a luminous beam that traverses the dead-ended pipe above said flap valve.

6. A control device according to claim 5 including means to control the flap valve, said valve control means closing said valve when the spinning machine is operating and opening said valve when the spinning machine is stopped.

7. A control device according to claim 6 in which the flap valve control means including an electromagnet to close said valve and spring means to open said valve.

8. A control device for a spinning machine including a duct, said duct having at least one aperture, means to pass a thread or the like in close relation to said aperture, means to control air flow through the section of the duct containing the aperture, said air flow inducing any fragments of said thread to pass through said aperture into said duct, said fragments of said thread being conducted by said air flow through said duct, said duct including a thread-guide, means providing a detecting field in said duct adjacent said thread-guide in the path of said fragments of said thread, and means responsive to the action of said detecting means upon passage of a thread through said thread-guide to control said machine, said air flow control means including a flap valve disposed in the duct, said flap valve being adapted to prevent flow of air through the section of the duct containing the aperture when the machine is stopped, said flap valve preventing flow of air until the machine 'has operated for a predetermined period after being stopped.

9. A control device for a sinning machine including a duct, means for producing the flow of an air current in said duct, said duct having at least one aperture, said duct having a bend and having a trough disposed on the outer edge of said bend to form a thread-guide in which the broken thread travels due to the deflection or". the air current and the resultant centrifugal motion of the broken thread, a detecting device disposed in the duct adjacent the thread-guide, and means responsive to the action of said detecting device to control the spinning machine upon the passage of a broken thread through the thread-guide.

10. A control device for a spinning machine including a duct, means for producing the flow of an air current in said duct, said duct having at least one aperture, said duct having a portion specially adapted to form a threadguide deflecting the air current and in which the broken thread travels due to the deflection of the air current and the resultant centrifugal motion of the broken thread, a detecting device disposed in the duct adjacent the thread-guide and means responsive to the action of said detecting device to control the spinning machine upon the passage of a broken thread through the thread-guide.

References (Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,438,365 Hepp et a1. Mar. 23, 1948 2,464,468 Thomas Mar. 15, 1949 2,500,343 Carrette Mar. 14, 1950 2,704,430 Harris Mar. 22, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,989 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1940 268,504 Switzerland Aug. 16, 1950 

